Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-29

strange lnaI one nesltates to do more
than say: $50 it may have been"
at the time Grady relinquished his
Broadway shop he had!in q g-eat measure
ceased 10 maintain active business hsbits :;
he had partner or agent, LsngbeiD, who
was supposed TO be his intermediary in
most transactions. The old diamond
dealer now secluded himself much more
than he had previously done; his ventu-
rou5 nocturnal rambles were given up:
and yet there seemed to be nothing TO
take their place. He had never read
/ books, and he did not begin st this late
day; he was apparently destitute of
what are called internal resources; the
men who had been his friends and ssso-
ciates were gone, snd he did not concern
himself 10 acquire any new ones
/ He spent hours and hours entirely
alone, seated in the room behind
the little Office in Sixth avenue,
doing nothing and perhaps thinking
| of nothing, though this take leave to
| doubt. His eyes would wander slowly
/ from one part of the room TO the other;
once in while they would become fixed
in gaze Of extraordinary intentness and
tXedness, yet there would be nothing but
blank wall or q cane oOttomed chair to
look st. Once in while, too, at irregu-
Iar Intervals Of week or more, Grady
would appear 70 be suffering from strong
though suppressed excitement; his eyes
WOuldbecOme unnaturally brilliant and Lc
would continually mOisten his dry lips.
No one cared to address the man al such
times, or TO be in his way if it were pos
slole TO avoid II, for he was then liable 10
outbreaks Of savage passion without dis
COyerable cause. These singular moods,
however, seldom lasted for more than
day, when he would relapse into the ru-
minating and inert state, sitting and star
ing at nothing
All this time there were Tumors of
something secret going on behind the
/ scenes, as it were, Of his life, but the at
/ tempts TO explain it we're so conflicting
as TO prove nothing except that it was
| secret well kept. Had there been any
motive stronger than curiosity to prompt
an investigation it might have been re-
/ vesled, but since it seemed to concern no
one but Grady himself ne was little inter
I feTed with. The man had no friends and
/ was shut up in himself He broOded
constantly over enc idea and doubtless
/ lost the balance of his judgment. Yet he
was very far from being insane.
/ At length he took s tlual resolution. la
! pursuance Of it he inserted g personal"
! in the Herald, and the next day, which
was Friday, he put up the shutters of his
| shop and pasted 8 bit of paper on the
/ door, on which were written the words
/ "ClOsed till Monday" Instead Of leaving
/ town, however, he remained indoors
alone and occupied himself il packing to-
/ gether quantity CT yaluables, in money
and levels, representing the greater part
OF his remaining property. All his preps-
rstiOns pointed TO an intention to take q
/ Journey, and so far negative the theory of
suicide, which was afterwards suggested
I regarding MIN. He had evidently meant
TO leave New York, and there vas nothing
TO indicate that he contemplated return
ing to it. But he was going 10 settle
something before he left.
At o'clock in the evening he let him
self out of the house and walked slowly
IN the direction of the Thirty-tnird street
elevated station. Soon q tall woman
passed him, crossing abruptly from the
outside to the inside of the sidewalk as
she did so. Grady turned and followed
her, until, near the door OF his shop, she
slackened her pace and paused.
CHAPTER XII.
CATER all, Jack, 1T is sbsurdiy dan
geTOus," the woman said, when they
were inside the house she had wrapped
q dark knit shawl round her head, which
she now threw aside IS she faced him.
she was as beautiful as ever. Grady saw
that; but he also saw, OF imagined that
the expression with which she regarded
him lacked q certain quality which he re
membered in times gone by.
"T0at amt gOin' TO make any difference
now" he replied. "This hide an seek
game is gOin' 10 stop. I've packed up,
and l shall leave New York tomorrow o."
"TO-mOrrOWl Where are you going"
= You'll Know that soon enough; for
you're gofR' With me ="
She sat down and looked ct him atten-
tfvely. He avoided her eyes. But she
knew him well, and understood the
humor he was in. "TO1 must tell me
about this" she said at length. HAS
anything new happened?"
"Nothin' newer than that I'm gOin' to
clear out, and take you with me" he re
peated.
"YOu know what I mean. Ever since
that day Byrnes upset cur Washington
scheme | haven't felt safe q nrmenc with
you coming here, and I have another
reason too, I've waited for you lust
lOrg enough; and l know l ain. gOin' to
get you as long as 1 keep on waitin'
And | dom want you in ships and slices,
neither; | want the whole Of you, body
an soul, night au' day, Gil The time Ii
1 let you play off and or tls way any
longer, you'd be takin' me f. &, fool: may
be vOu do noW,n
81 take you for better, iUr worse, you
dear old devil" she said suddenly, lean
ing towards him with penetrating smile.
The words and look dispersed his sui
lenneas and kindled his massive nature
like fire, lie stretched out his arm and
drew her 10 his knee; she scarcely re-
sisted. He drew her face down 70 his
and kissed her, clumsily, but herceIy. At
intervals she gsye 4 little laugh and
glanced in his eyes, but said nothing. He
put his great band up to ner head aud
touched ner delicate ear and thrust mis-
fingers into her soft. DARK hair. she had
never been so yielding; she beIildered
him. He stared in her face, gritting mis-
teeth together. Her breath touched him,
then she swiftly kissed his lbs and slip
ped cut CT mis- arms, laughing her low
laugh gglin, and pinning up the disOr-
dsred braids Of her hair as she looked
down on him.
Aren't you going 10 tell me where you
mean to carry me to-" she said.
"Then you'll Gomez" he sait in g thick
voice.
"C5me? Did you think I would stay
here without you: You mus. be q fool
.